Bonds
by thespectatorion
Summary: Seeing the Uchiha reminds Zaku of the good old days, when Dosu was alive and he didn't care about anyone else. Bonds are formed, even if you don't want them. Past DosuZaku. Also pretend Zaku didn't die.


So I wrote this before I remembered that Zaku and Kin were killed after the Chuunin exams.

WHOOPS.

But I like it a lot...

* * *

Zaku wonders what it's like to be Uchiha Sasuke. So good-looking, people hurl themselves after you. So powerful, you could kill with just a glance. So above everyone else, they're all afraid to talk to you or sleazily trying to be in your good favor.

So lonely, it must hurt.

He passes by the Uchiha on occasion, and doesn't feel too bad for him. Sasuke is too wrapped up in his ego to think of anyone else. Zaku wouldn't have cared about him normally- he prefers people who see outside of themselves. Maybe he had, once. But seeing him reminds Zaku of the Chuunin exams and when he learned to care. It's like Sasuke forgot the same lessons Zaku learned. He doubts Sasuke even remembers the Chuunin exams.

Or rather, he doubted it until he was forced to deliver something to Sasuke once. A letter from Orochimaru. He drops it squarely into the boy's hand, and doesn't even make eye contact as he mutters "From Orochimaru". If he glances up he might... blush, or something. The Uchiha's pretty good-looking. Better than Dosu was under all those bandages, and prettier than Kin (when she dresses up and doesn't act like a psycho). Rumor has it he uses... alternate methods of persuasion to get Orochimaru to teach him techniques that he wouldn't have otherwise.

But he's met Sasuke. Sasuke has far too much pride to descend to that level. Unlike some of the people who'd told Zaku that.

"Hey, you," Sasuke says before Zaku turns around. "You were in the Chuunin exams at the same time as me."

Zaku nods, not even bothering to hide his surprise.

"Nearly took out my _teammates_."

It's a funny word. Zaku never learned the meaning until Dosu died. Bonds are formed even if you don't want them, turns out, after all his ranting about those stupid Leaf nins and their touchy-feely ways. One morning, he and Dosu would have gladly killed Kin if it got the mission done. She would've done the same for them, too.

And when Dosu was gone... mission after mission he found that there wasn't anyone (alive) he would have rather worked with than Kin. And one day she saved his butt and he realizes she felt the same way. It was a pretty simple thing, actually. Not everything had to be complicated. He and Dosu had been complicated, with lots of snide remarks that were meant to sting and some that weren't and heated exchanges and also heated making out behind trees or in closets if that wasn't ironic enough.

"You broke my arms," Zaku said.

"You hurt Sakura," Sasuke said simply.

"Still haven't forgiven me?"

"No, I haven't. You or your disgustingly ugly teammates. It's mostly that you were so thrilled about hurting her."

Something caught fire a long time in Zaku's heart, something burning and it's never going to stop. Zaku knows that for sure. With the grating comments everyone always made about Dosu being such a loser for trying to take on Gaara of the Sand. Probably it's anger. But maybe it's shame, too, and guilt, because he told Dosu not to do it. Dosu never listened.

And Zaku's angry. Nobody insults his teammates.

"Which is why you knocked her out just before leaving, isn't it? Real comrade-ly of you."

There's a pale hand on Zaku's throat, pushing him up against the wall, before he can even blink. "You know about that?"

"Everyone knows about you," Zaku says. It's nice that he's elicited such a reaction. It's so much more fun when they hate you back. "There are spies in the Leaf village, you know. And you're pretty famous around here. If you haven't noticed."

"Shut up before I kill you."

Sasuke squeezes tighter. His hands are hot around Zaku's neck, and it burns. Eventually, Zaku realizes, he won't be able to breathe. Which is why he opens his mouth again, of course.

"Why should I?" Zaku asks, panting just a little bit. He grins at Sasuke... Shinobi always smile in the face of death and more often than not they live to kill another day.

Except Zaku's been dead inside ever since the scary Sand kid smushed Dosu with his sand. So Zaku doesn't care if what he says or does is a little suicidal (though he'd never intentionally off himself). It makes him match on the inside and the outside.

"You don't even deserve to talk about her," Sasuke says, and turns around, walking away with that catwalk stride he uses to keep the sword from stabbing him and that girls use to not fall down when they're wearing high heels. Zaku falls down. His throat aches. It's going to leave a bruise. But Zaku doesn't care.

"And yet you can call my teammates 'disgustingly ugly.' Well, that pink-haired girl I took on wasn't much of a prize either."

Sasuke utters a quiet, "That does it," and Zaku's flying across the hall. People who stopped when Sasuke was trying to strangle him are whispering now. Zaku doesn't care if he's got an audience or not. He's stronger than last time, and rage always makes for good fuel for a fight. He's nowhere near the Uchiha's level, in rage or in strength, and he only has one arm, but that doesn't matter. Everyone knows the Uchiha doesn't kill. So he'll fight the losing battle just because he can.

"She's grown, you know," said Sasuke, whipping out the sword he carries. Kusanagi. Orochimaru's gift. "She'd pummel within an inch of your life in two seconds flat, and she's a medic so she'd bring you back to do it again."

"I've grown, too," Zaku tells him before employing his favorite technique with the one arm he has left. Sasuke's immediately a little dizzy. He glances up at Zaku with red Sharingan eyes whirling.

"That's right, I ripped out your arms last time because they were important to you," Sasuke says. "I forget, sometimes. Wasn't that important. Still isn't."

Suddenly he's behind Zaku, and Zaku's a little bit surprised.

_I knew he was a lot better than me, but this much? _And then he realizes it must be some kinda genjutsu. Sasuke did look him in the eyes earlier... Oops. Zaku knew he was going to lose in the beginning, but he kinda hoped he would have put up more of a fight than this.

The sword is at Zaku's neck, so he flips around and smacks Sasuke right in that and punches just as fast as he can. Which is pretty fast, all things considering. He could have left a mark.

Sasuke disappears in a puff of smoke.

...And that's when Zaku realizes where the real genjutsu was. He makes a deep cut on his good arm, and almost grins at the pain, because when he feels it that's when the world wobbles at the edges and he sees Sasuke in front of him, sword at his stomach.

"You're back," Sasuke says in that weird monotone. Zaku's careful enough to not look into his eyes this time.

"Good to see you," Zaku says pleasantly, and flips back to avoid the sword. Sasuke darts forward and Zaku kicks his hand. He would have liked for the sword to have flown out but he's smarter than that and Sasuke's better than that.

He does, however, kick hard enough to hurt a clone and Sasuke doesn't puff away. He better have left a mark. Not that Sasuke couldn't have had it healed instantly, it's just that Zaku wants to have left a mark. (Dosu didn't even get that dignity.)

Sasuke's suddenly behind him again. But Zaku saw him move this time, so it can't be a genjutsu. The sword point is at Zaku's back, so Zaku darts forward and under, then turns back and kicks Sasuke behind his knees. Which will _definitely _leave a mark.

Sasuke very nearly falls flat on his back.

Nearly.

He flips around onto his hands, landing like a cat, and kicks Zaku in the stomach. Zaku lands flat on his back. Sasuke's sword is pointed at his neck. Zaku smiles.

"I surrender," Zaku says.

The sword is returned to its sheath. Sasuke glares down at him for one cold moment, and Zaku smiles back.

Sasuke walks off, and all the people watching the fight disperse, except for Kin, who Zaku realizes was watching almost the whole time.

"You very nearly got yourself killed, you know that?" She looks shaken, and all her long hair is cut off. That's new.

"Couldn't help it," he says, still grinning.

"Don't pick fights," she says, staring with those big brown eyes into his, and he knows what she means. "You can't die."

He hugs her. "I'll be fine, you know he never kills anyone."

She pouts, and he realizes she's all dressed up. Probably going to see her boyfriend.

"C'mon, Kin, it's okay. You look nice, by the way. New haircut?"

She smiles, and flips her head from side to side to show off the chin-length hair.

"Thanks. Got burnt on my last mission, so kinda had to. I was gonna go meet Haru and see what he thought... But what do you think?"

"I like it. It's cute. And don't worry. Haru's going to like it. Everyone with at least half a brain will."

Zaku actually kind of likes Kin's boyfriend. He's friendly, a good ninja, he treats her well, and he's pretty hot. Not that Zaku's gonna make any moves. He's pretty thrilled that Kin's found someone.

Dosu's dead, but Zaku doesn't feel like finding anyone else. Being Kin's best friend is enough for now, anyway.

"I'll walk with you, 'kay?"

She nods, and he puts a platonic arm around her shoulders and they walk off to Haru's apartment complex.

* * *

Woohoo.

Anticlimactic end much, spectatorion?

So, I don't even know where this came from. I was just watching Season Three of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I had this weird urge to read/write Zaku fanfic. It's pretty awesome. In case I haven't mentioned, I adore Giles. And Xander. And Oz. And Spike. They're all pretty hot. :) I also totally love Angel and Drusilla's conversations. "But then the moon started whispering to me... all sorts of _dreadful _things." -Drusilla. Isn't that a fun quote?

So. I thought Zaku lived! Turns out, he didn't. Oops. And who wants to read ZakuSasu fanfic? Because I think that would be kind of interesting actually.

Also, this is my first major attempt at a fight scene. I hope I did well!

TTFN, peoples. That's ta-ta for now.


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